All News

December 31, 2004

Is This The Best Way To Welcome A New Year... Or What?

ANN has just finished the first debrief with Eclipse Aviation
offcials following an 89 minute first flight for the Pratt &
Whitney 610F powered Eclipse 500. The first production model of a
new generation of light jet aircraft, the Eclipse 500, flew to
16,800 feet and as fast as 200 knots during a "super" first lfight
that actually proceeded so well as to allow for the expansion of a
number of flight test objectives.

Letterman's Got Nothing On OUR Top Ten List!

Feds Worried That Laser-Pointing Incidents Could Be Work Of
Terrorists

"Is this kids with pranks, or something that is more of a
challenge to the system?"
That question, posed by the Dr. Linda Connell, director of the
Aviation Safety Reporting System at NASA's Ames Research Center, is
top on the minds of commercial and corporate pilots around the
country. At least six times in the past couple of days, someone has
pointed powerful lasers at the cockpits of passing aircraft.

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Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft Comes To Life (Sort Of)

By ANN Correspondent John Ballantyne
Well, here it is again. Another year's end. Those who were
turning blue from holding their breath for FAA to release sport
pilot and light sport aircraft are now breathing: shallowly, maybe,
but breathing.

A Month-By-Month Chronicle

By ANN Correspondent John Ballantyne
January
As we entered 2004, the focus was on the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB). At OMB sport pilot/light sport aircraft began a
second review period (actually start counting as of December 23,
2003). If the proposal got blessed by OMB, the FAA could issue
sport pilot as a final rule.

The One Organization Aviators Love To Hate

They Said It, We Quoted It

By ANN Correspondent Rose Dorcey
Aviation in all its forms saw many changes, achievements, and
let's admit it, frustrations throughout the year. While we glimpsed
the fascinating future of aviation and space travel in the
beginning of our second century of flight, we saw many challenges
and disappointments as well. Airlines are struggling, Mother Nature
turned on Florida residents, and our friends at the TSA provided
trials to travelers.

Something New... Finally

By ANN Contributor Christopher J. Armstrong
New engines are finally becoming available for experimental and
certified aircraft that use modern materials and production
techniques for greater strength with lighter weight. Most feature
digital engine management systems for fuel injection and ignition
timing providing better performance and economy. Several of the new
engines are compression ignition diesels, which allow the use of
the much less expensive diesel or jet A fuels.

A Look Back At Those We Lost In 2004

With the passing of another year, we have seen some members of
our aviation community also pass. The aviation
brotherhood/sisterhood is small enough that we all feel the loss of
one of our membership when it happens. Whether we knew them
personally, or just watched or read about their aviation deeds, we
feel the emptiness left by their passing. To those they left
behind, our heartfelt wishes are with you.

"The TSA says passenger screening was effective in 2004 by
keeping 6,501,193 prohibited items from going on board aircrafts."
[sic]
Source: TSA news release touting the agency's
effectiveness in screening passengers during 2004. The agency's
effectiveness at grammar, however, was apparently not an issue in
Washington.

AD NUMBER: 2004-26-12
MANUFACTURER: Empresa
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-26-12
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for all EMBRAER Model ERJ 170 series airplanes. This
AD requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to include
certain operational instructions and prohibit dispatch of any
flight with the integrated electronic standby system (IESS)
inoperative, even though it is allowed by the current version of
the Master Minimum Equipment List; and performing a test to
determine proper operation of the network interface card (NIC)
communications and repairing if necessary.